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Over the past few months, I've gotten a lot of requests to share some more casual outfits. To be honest, I typically 'dress up'. That's just my nature and what I'm drawn to. However, every once in a while, I will wear a super casual outfit. Case in point: today's post! There is nothing more classic and simple than dark wash skinny jeans, a crisp white tee shirt and ballet flats. It's so effortless but it still looks put together. Not to mention, it's beyond comfortable. It's a great off-duty/weekend look and the perfect thing for fall (especially since it's really easy to layer sweaters/jackets over top).

Every time I switch my closets over (aka every fall/spring), I always make sure to meticulously go through each piece and get rid of the things I no longer wear. But, on top of that, I also inspect things that get a lot of wear and assess whether or not they need to be replaced.

I typically go by the idea of spending more on your classics/staple items so they last longer. However, with tees, especially white tees, I always try to save as much as possible. In my opinion, there is no sense in spending $50+ on tee shirts you are likely to be wearing under sweaters or on weekend errand runs. I found SO many great options (I literally tried every single style on) and they are all under $10. My favorite, the boyfriend style, is currently on sale for just $6! I ended up purchasing 11 different tees and my total was under $70! I'm now stocked and ready for the fall season!

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Tuesday, August 30, 2016

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Day-in-and-out, I don't wear much makeup. It takes so much time and effort and my skin doesn't fare well with a lot of makeup on every single day. My complexion definitely benefits when I let it 'breathe', so I try to let that happen as often as possible. However, I almost always wear makeup out at night/weekends, etc./when I want to look my best.

I'm no makeup guru, but I've tried a lot of products and these are some of the brushes that I swear by and use daily. I thought I would share because, while I think you can use your fingers to apply most/if not all of your makeup, I really do think makeup brushes make a huge difference!

This is post came to fruition because I had been washing my brushes, so this is a friendly reminder for you to wash your brushes! I just wash mine with regular Dawn dish soap and warm water. I try to wash them around 2-3 times a month, but sometimes that doesn't happen. Although, it's really smart to wash your brushes as much as possible! So here are my favorite daily brushes:

The orange brushes you see in my collection are from Real Techniques. These came in a set and they have to be my absolute favorite. Not to mention, they are much less pricey than department store/Sephora brushes. This one is the contour brush. I use it to set my under eye concealer with translucent powder and also use it as a highlighter with this powder (and sometimes this powder).

In the summertime, I have to apply bronzer (seriously this palette is my holy-grail) all over my face because my face makeup is always a shade too light because of my tan. So I do that with brush Three, but for 3 out of 4 of the seasons, I just apply bronzer with this contour brush. It's really easy and you don't have to get a lot of product on the brush for it to show up. I love that it's light and fluffy and really high quality. The rose gold/pretty packaging doesn't hurt, either!

This brush definitely gets the most action. It's #130 in the line and called a 'buffering brush'. To me, it's basically a kabuki brush with a long handle. I love that it's large, light and fluffy. I use this to set my foundation with powder, apply bronzer all over my face (if needed) and blend/set my makeup once it's all done with translucent powder. If I was going to pick the one brush out of all of these that is my must-have, this would be it.

This is another brush within the set (seriously, do yourself a favor and get this set!). Like brush three, it's called a 'buffing brush', but it's much smaller in surface size than the third brush. I use this only for blush. I really like that it's not too stiff so the brush application is very natural/easy-to-apply.

This is the brush that's hard to see in the photos because it is so tiny. It's called the 'detailer brush'. I use this for one of my holy-grail products, gilded honey, which is a golden highlighter/illuminator. I put a touch in the corner of my eyes, down the front of my nose, right under my eyebrows and right above my cupid's bow.

Last, but not least, is this large shadow brush. I rarely ever wear eyeshadow, but if I am going all out, I will dust highlighter/illuminator over my entire eyelid to give my eyes a pop/awake look. This does the job and gets it done quickly since it is much larger than brush five.

I get these inexpensive packs of 100 disposable mascara wands. Since I have eyelash extensions, I use this to brush through my eyelashes. You have to use a clean brush each time to extend the wearability of your extensions. Then after I comb through my lashes, I use it to comb/style my brows. I toss them after each use but keep a few in my makeup bag at all times just in case! **I know I did a post on eyelash extensions when I first got them, but if you guys have questions, leave them in the comments below and I can compile them and do a follow-up post! I know I get a lot of questions about them on Snapchat (SummerWind41490).

Do you have any makeup brush recommendations that I should try? I typically go by the 'if it isn't broken, don't fix it' saying when it comes to makeup, but I'm always into trying to new products! I know a lot of YouTube beauty vloggers use the Sigma line of brushes and I have been eyeing this set that's under $100, which is a really good deal. Has anyone tried it?

Monday, August 29, 2016

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You know my favorite leather pleated skirt from last year? The one I wore in about a billion blog posts (proof here, here, here, here).... well, this year it came out in a burgundy shade and I fell in love, again. This shade of deep red, sometimes almost purple, is everywhere for fall. I don't typically look great in the color, so I avoid tops in this shade, however, I love adding a dose of this cabernet shade with skirts/accessories, etc.

This sweater tank, (super affordable) pleated skirt, and cap-toe shoes are all pieces you can wear right now and well into fall/winter. I plan on wearing the sweater tank under a blazer as the temps dip, and the skirt with sweaters and tights/booties. The shoes are totally a neutral, super comfortable, and can be worn work-to-play! But, paired together, these pieces still keep me cool in the still-warm weather but the colors give a hint of autumn's arrival!

As for sizing, the sweater tank runs big. I sized down from a usual small to an x-small and the skirt I am wearing a size 2.

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Shoes run slightly small, I usually would go for an 8, but sized up to an 8.5 in these! The shoes are the pair that I talked about a few weeks ago. They're such a great dupe for the $1200 Chanel pair! I've also included some other pairs that are available on other retailers and similar styles. View them by scrolling through the widget above!

Friday, August 26, 2016

This post is just in time for the weekend (woooo!). There are only a few days until the pools are closed and kids are already starting to head back to school, however, might I remind you, summer isn't 'technically' over until around the end of September!

So, therefore, there's always room to have a delicious summery cocktail for your next get together. I will forewarn you: this one takes a little elbow grease but I promise it is worth it!

What you'll need:

Fresh cubed watermelon

Sliced limes

Basil leaves

club soda (I used Schweppes Lemon Lime)

Gin or vodka (based on your preference)

Ice Cubes

Large bowl and wooden spoon

1. In a large bowl place watermelon cubes and basil leaves and crush/muddle with wooden spoon. You'll need a lot of watermelon for enough 'juice' for a pitcher of cocktails.

2. After you have enough juice for at least 2 cocktails (around 16 oz.) squeeze in half a lime.

3. Pour into cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until chilled.

4. Strain into glasses with ice add 1.5 oz of either vodka or gin

5. Top off with a splash of club soda. I used my favorite, Schweppes Lemon Lime to give it extra flavor. Garnish with watermelon wedge.

This cocktail is super light, not at all sweet, and perfect for a hot afternoon. It would even be great minus the liquor to serve to those who don't drink. Happy sipping!

Thursday, August 25, 2016

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First of all, I'd like to point out that this is the last Lately post of August. Is anyone else as shocked as I am? I feel like August lasted for all of a day. I blinked and now it's practically September. I love the fall and am so ready to welcome it with open arms, but I always get a twinge of sadness as the seasons change; especially with summertime coming to a close and everyone going back to school. It will be different for me this year since my sister, Callie, won't be heading back to college (she graduated in May!). It's crazy to think she's out of college, and it has only just hit me now that she is here. Oh what fun we are going to have this fall :)

Wearing: I wrote in last week's post that I was doing the 'party peddler' with some friends. It was so much fun, I'd definitely recommend it for those who have them available in their city. I wanted to look put together because I knew we'd end up going somewhere afterward, so I wore a tennis skirt! It was the perfect thing for this type of outing (especially with the shorts underneath) and was so glad I had it on hand! There was a Steeler game going on that night at Heinz Field, so of course, I had to wear my black and gold Jack Rogers, too!

Watching: Who else is SO excited for football season? Someone shared this video on Facebook which is a great highlight reel from Superbowl 43, and it got me so excited for the first regular season game. This was probably one of my favorite moments in sports during my lifetime. I mean seriously, that game-winning catch by Santonio Holmes is epic. How can that not give you chills?! I vividly remember how amazing this was and how much we were all screaming and cheering.

Reading: Love this article from the Economist about stress. I have no chill sometimes and could really relate to a lot of the points in this article. Plus, it gives you an entirely new (and positive) way to look at stress.

Pittsburgh-ing: Last week, Bazaar named Pittsburgh, America's Most Underrated City. How cool is that? The article is awesome and features some of Pittsburgh's best food/sights/etc. I'm obviously very biased about Pittsburgh, so I love when other people/outlets pick up on how amazing Pittsburgh really is!

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Wanting: I kind of hate that I want these so badly because they're so trendy right now, but at the same time, a loafer is always a classic. I just love them. They're so simple and luxe. They come in three different colors, but I'm partial to the black or the brown. Which would you choose? I'm also dying for these... I need some more closet space!!

Listening: August's playlist was really good. You can find it by clicking here if you have Spotify or you can listen to it embedded in this post if you do not. I know it's a few days early, but I thought I'd get a head start on September's playlist. I'll link it here, if you'd like to listen, and then embed it for those non-Spotify-ers next week when there is more to choose from!

Quoting: 'Life becomes more meaningful when you realize the simple fact that you'll never get the same moment twice.' See more of my favorites, here.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

I'm currently on the mend from being sick for the past few days so it has really thrown off my entire schedule. There was a solid 24 hours where I literally couldn't bring myself to get out of bed even for water or Advil. It's times like that that remind me not to take good health for granted. So today I thought I'd talk about 'sick day essentials' that you should have on hand just-in-case. Since this was my first time being sick in my new place, it was interesting to find out how prepared I was and wasn't...especially because it came on pretty quickly. It's also timely, too, because I think a lot of these items are great to stock up on for those headed to college and cold and flu season will be here before we know it.

An Extra Set of Fresh Sheets

I feel like this is something that most people wouldn't think of, but always having a set of fresh sheets available, never hurts. I'm a big proponent of changing my sheets often, so this is always the case for me, but it was so nice to be able to put on fresh sheets post-sickness without having to use time and energy on a load of laundry right then and there. I also have tons of extra pillow shams. I change my shams every other night, sometimes even nightly.

Medicine

This is probably the most obvious thing, but wouldn't you know I had run out of Advil midway through being sick. Luckily, I had some Nyquil to back me up. I'm not huge on taking medicine, but this was totally necessary. I always prefer ibuprofen (what's in Advil) over acetaminophen (what's in Tylenol/Nyquil etc.) It's important to educate yourself on anything you ever put into your body and consult a doctor if you are ever unsure.

Thermometer

This is one of those things that I totally didn't have. As an adult, you kind of know when you have a fever, but I would have liked something to tell me how bad it really was.

Purell Wipes

I carry these often and always keep a pack in my car. I don't like liquid Purell because of the smell and the residue it leaves on my hands, but the wipes are awesome. I also like to have them post-sickness to make sure I don't get anyone else sick!

Something with Sugar/Carbs

I usually drink ginger ale and always have it on hand because it's a great cocktail mixer, but I also drank watered down Gatorade and orange juice. I'd usually never drink any of those liquids, but I needed something other than just water to give me a boost of energy/strength because I wasn't eating. I also hate taking medicine, so washing down the Nyquil with OJ was very necessary. Tea is another great thing to have on hand.

Bland Food

When you're sick, you likely don't want to eat anything. I had no appetite but forced myself to eat chicken noodle soup and toast. I love chicken noodle soup in general, so I always have it on hand. It's also perfectly easy to throw in a bowl and microwave quickly if you have to do it yourself... I love the Campbell's chicken and stars soup on the go because you don't even need to transfer it to a bowl!

A great eye mask

This one that I recently got was a lifesaver. You're likely sleeping all day, even while the sun is up. Total darkness is key and an eye mask helps a ton. This is really great for college students who may be on different schedules than their roommates. I used one all throughout college and still do to this day!

Cleaning Supplies

Seriously, tonight I plan on deep cleaning every nook and cranny. Because it will make me feel better and put-together but it will also make me feel comfortable about having guests over again without the chance of them getting sick!

My number one rule when choosing something that's top purpose is for work is that it can be transitioned for another event. For example, I love this gray lace dress for work. It's conservative, neutral, and the length is just right. I paired it with these lace-up flats (under $70!) because when you are walking in a city, flats are a necessity.

However, I can also wear this lace dress to a multitude of other occasions and events. It would pair well with heels and a statement necklace for a cocktail party and I can definitely wear the shoes with jeans on the weekends! I even love that this works well during the day in an office but you can swap out shoes/bag/accessories and head straight to a dinner date or happy hour! I am always on-the-go, so whenever I can switch up my 'base' pieces just by switching out accessories, I'm sold!

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Shop some of my other favorite wear-to-work pieces in the widget above. Most of them are very affordable and are all fully in stock in most sizes! Thank you to ModCloth for sponsoring this post.

Monday, August 22, 2016

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Today's post will be a quick one. I've been in bed the past 24 hours really sick. I am hoping it's just a quick bug, though! However, I wanted to pop in to let you know that the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale is live!

It runs now through tomorrow, so act fast. Don't worry if you don't snag something you are dying for because things sell out so quickly! I've pulled in all of my past Lilly posts which you can view by clicking the links below!

Saturday, August 20, 2016

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As I'm sure most of you are aware, the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale starts at 8am ET this Monday and goes through Tuesday! I've partnered with Lilly to release something fun tomorrow, so be sure to follow on Instagram (@SummerWind41490) to get the news! In honor of the sale (seriously, this is like Christmas to me, haha!) I figured I'd share some of my favorite Lilly pieces above.

In case you have any questions about the sale, I've covered the info in past posts which you can read here. But Lilly also has a really great FAQ page that's constantly updated for information regarding the sale! Happy shopping!

Friday, August 19, 2016

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Happy Friday, everyone! Today I'm sharing an outfit that I wore a few weeks ago at the lake in Georgia. To say it was muggy hot during part of our stay is an understatement, so this lightweight dress was great to have on hand!

I'm really not a fan of the off-the-shoulder trend. I've tried it a few times, but I feel that it doesn't flatter my broad shoulders and it's hard for me to see the value in buying something that is very trendy. However, I tried this dress on on a whim and really loved it. It has the shift-style shape that I typically love in other dresses. It also is a great shade of ivory that's almost in the blush family. It's a very different shade of white than anything else I own which is what originally drew me to it!

I also love that the elastic is only around the shoulders which makes it look less 'cheapy' than other options available online. And the best part? It's well under $100! I felt OK with adding it to my closet fully knowing that it may not be in style in a few years. The ruffled sleeves add a little fun detail, too, don't you think?

As a side note, I'm not a vodka drinker, I typically stick to gin. BUT, I do love a good Moscow mule every once in a while. If you are not familiar with Moscow mules, it is made with lime juice, vodka, and ginger beer. It's very light and refreshing, and especially great during the summer months. And who doesn't love a gorgeous copper mug (cute one here, too!)? My best tip is to get Fever Tree ginger beer. I really think that this brand is the best and is a total game-changer when it comes to making Moscow mules. Another great mixer by Fever Tree is their tonic water-- so good you could almost drink it by itself!